# Pipe smoke affecting my sinuses.



## bigmanfromou (Dec 5, 2008)

Just wondering if anyone would have any insight on this. Just a little background, I've had Chronic Sinusitis since I was a wee nipper. Before trying the pipe, I smoked cigars for two years. Retro-haled, nose exhaled, even accidentally inhaled. None of which ever caused a sinus attack. However, EVERY time I try to enjoy a bowl of baccy, I feel like someone has smashed me in the face with a bat. Each time, my sinuses become so inflamed that I can't breathe. It doesn't matter what type of tobacco, all the same result. 

Is there something different in the preparation of pipe tobacco that could be causing this? 

Thanks in advance.


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## drastic_quench (Sep 12, 2008)

Could be a reaction to propylene glycol. Are these blends all bulk aromatics?


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## bigmanfromou (Dec 5, 2008)

It seems to be everything except for VA baccy.


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## ChronoB (Nov 4, 2007)

bigmanfromou said:


> Just wondering if anyone would have any insight on this. Just a little background, I've had Chronic Sinusitis since I was a wee nipper. Before trying the pipe, I smoked cigars for two years. Retro-haled, nose exhaled, even accidentally inhaled. None of which ever caused a sinus attack. However, EVERY time I try to enjoy a bowl of baccy, I feel like someone has smashed me in the face with a bat. Each time, my sinuses become so inflamed that I can't breathe. It doesn't matter what type of tobacco, all the same result.
> 
> Is there something different in the preparation of pipe tobacco that could be causing this?
> 
> Thanks in advance.


Propylene Glycol might be the culprit. Many pipe tobaccos are moisturized with it. It is pretty neutral stuff, but it is possible your sinuses might not like it. I know for a fact that Cornell & Diehl/GL Pease tobaccos are moisturized only with distilled water. If you haven't tried stuff from them I recommend it.

Also, unlike cigars, most (if not all) pipe tobacco blends contain tobacco that has received some additional flavoring, be it alcohol, sugar, or something else.

Unlike cigar tobacco, pipe tobacco is almost always treated with something. Per GL Pease:



> *Myths About Casing *
> 
> *I only smoke uncased tobaccos.*
> *G.L. Pease Answers:* In fact, very few, if any, tobaccos on the market today are NOT cased. Casing is the process of adding sugars and flavouring agents before the leaf is further processed. The raw leaf is be soaked or sprayed with a heavy solution of sugars and flavourings like liquorice, vanilla, tonquin, and so on. The amount of sauce absorbed by the leaf depends on the method of application, the structure of the leaf, and the length of time the leaf is in contact with the sauce before further processing. The leaf is then processed as usual. It can be conditioned and cut, or pressed and held to allow further fermentation. It can be heated, steamed, toasted, or just allowed to "bulk" in the atmosphere.
> ...


If casings are what is giving you trouble you might have to stick to cigars. But, I suspect any straight VA blends you're smoking are going to have casings, so if they're not giving you trouble than casings aren't the problem.

It may remain a mystery and you're SOL, but at least you can still enjoy cigars.


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## Jack Straw (Nov 20, 2008)

When you say VA blends, do you mean ones that only contain Virginia, or can you also smoke va pers and burley blends?

I have heard of people having reactions to perique and that it is somewhat common. 

Maybe a list of the blends you've tried off the top of your head that have caused it?

Also, was this all in the same pipe? Was it an Italian make? It could also be the briar. I have heard of the occasional briar that will cause a tingling/needley sensation all over the mouth, perhaps this might be happening and affecting your sinuses.


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## InsidiousTact (Dec 3, 2010)

Jack Straw said:


> Also, was this all in the same pipe? Was it an Italian make? It could also be the briar. I have heard of the occasional briar that will cause a tingling/needley sensation all over the mouth, perhaps this might be happening and affecting your sinuses.


That's scary... I don't like to think that I could buy a pipe and not be able to smoke it. Does it ever go away? Any idea what causes it?


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## Jack Straw (Nov 20, 2008)

It's pretty rare, no idea what causes it, and it's never happened to me. From what I hear sometimes it smokes away sometimes not. Usually people can find a type of tobacco that the pipe likes. Usually associated with Italian pipes, and not always cheap ones. Weird stuff.


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## bigmanfromou (Dec 5, 2008)

Jack Straw said:


> When you say VA blends, do you mean ones that only contain Virginia, or can you also smoke va pers and burley blends?
> 
> Also, was this all in the same pipe? Was it an Italian make? It could also be the briar. I have heard of the occasional briar that will cause a tingling/needley sensation all over the mouth, perhaps this might be happening and affecting your sinuses.


The information thus far has truly been an education. It has happened with my various pipes. I have 2 briars; 1 ben wade, 1 peterson. I also have 3 cobs, and 1 meer.

I haven't smoked my pipes much lately because of this issue. Hal o the Wind and Dunhill Light Flake did not not give me the headache, however Dan's Blue Note, Moe's Confetti, and Prince Albert all locked my sinuses up.

I will certainly take a closer look at GL Pease tobaccos.


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## ChronoB (Nov 4, 2007)

bigmanfromou said:


> I will certainly take a closer look at GL Pease tobaccos.


I think McClelland tobaccos also do not use PG, but I'm not positive. Certainly worth giving them a try, though.


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## Jack Straw (Nov 20, 2008)

bigmanfromou said:


> The information thus far has truly been an education. It has happened with my various pipes. I have 2 briars; 1 ben wade, 1 peterson. I also have 3 cobs, and 1 meer.
> 
> I haven't smoked my pipes much lately because of this issue. Hal o the Wind and Dunhill Light Flake did not not give me the headache, however Dan's Blue Note, Moe's Confetti, and Prince Albert all locked my sinuses up.
> 
> I will certainly take a closer look at GL Pease tobaccos.


Interesting. It sounds like it might be the PG thing. GL Pease tobaccos are a good bet if that is the case, as are C&D Tobaccos (they produce GLP's blends). C&D uses the lowest concentration of PG allowable by law, if I recall right (I remember reading this info direct from them at some point - pretty sure all pipe tobacco has some PG in it, just in very minute levels).

Samuel Gawith, Gawith Hoggarth, Rattray's, and Esoterica Tobacciana are all safe bets as far as PG is concerned. McClellands uses tons of it in some of their blends. I have a tin of Frog Morton I opened a year and a half ago just sitting in a drawer, and it is still quite moist. I would avoid that series but man of their other blends may be fine for you.


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## GuitarDan (Nov 26, 2009)

If you're really wanting to know exactly what triggers the misery I suggest you buy an ounce each of various blending tobaccos (kentucky burley, white burley, yellow virginia, red virginia, black cavendish, golden cavendish, perique, syrian and cyprian latakias, various orientals, etc...) and smoke one type in a given day. 
Have a break from smoking for three or so days to rest your schnozz, and move on through the experiment. I'm willing to bet that you find you have a sensitivity to various types of tobacco.

Also, do not discount that the dryness of winter itself makes for sinus woes- even for the pristine snouts of non-smokers...


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## bigmanfromou (Dec 5, 2008)

GuitarDan said:


> If you're really wanting to know exactly what triggers the misery I suggest you buy an ounce each of various blending tobaccos (kentucky burley, white burley, yellow virginia, red virginia, black cavendish, golden cavendish, perique, syrian and cyprian latakias, various orientals, etc...) and smoke one type in a given day.
> Have a break from smoking for three or so days to rest your schnozz, and move on through the experiment. I'm willing to bet that you find you have a sensitivity to various types of tobacco.
> 
> Also, do not discount that the dryness of winter itself makes for sinus woes- even for the pristine snouts of non-smokers...


I was actually going to do something similar. I was going to try a 1/4-1/2 bowl of each tobacco that I have and take notes on how I feel the next morning. I'll just make sure to have a lot of Aleve Cold and Sinus around. :wink:

And yes, this year the dryness is killing me.


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## indigosmoke (Sep 1, 2009)

Boswell also does not add any PG to their blends, though according to Greg Pease he had his tobaccos tested for PG and small amounts were some times detected as they had been added by those who grow and process the tobaccos before they reach C&D, which I'm sure could also be the case with Boswell's blends. I would think that the concentrations would be quite low in such a case however. 

I second Andrew's comments on Frog Morton. It's a good blend, but I would stay away if you think you might be PG sensitive. I had a tin that didn't dry out when it had been open for months.


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## ChronoB (Nov 4, 2007)

Jack Straw said:


> Interesting. It sounds like it might be the PG thing. GL Pease tobaccos are a good bet if that is the case, as are C&D Tobaccos (they produce GLP's blends). C&D uses the lowest concentration of PG allowable by law, if I recall right (I remember reading this info direct from them at some point - pretty sure all pipe tobacco has some PG in it, just in very minute levels).
> 
> Samuel Gawith, Gawith Hoggarth, Rattray's, and Esoterica Tobacciana are all safe bets as far as PG is concerned. McClellands uses tons of it in some of their blends. I have a tin of Frog Morton I opened a year and a half ago just sitting in a drawer, and it is still quite moist. I would avoid that series but man of their other blends may be fine for you.


Are you kidding? Samuel Gawith is swimming in PG. At least, Squadron Leader is. And my McClelland tins dry out pretty quick. Weird.


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## Jack Straw (Nov 20, 2008)

Every SG I have had shows up sopping wet, but I think it's just that - wet. It dries out quickly, so I assume there is no funny business going on.


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## Requiem (Dec 6, 2008)

indigosmoke said:


> Boswell also does not add any PG to their blends, though according to Greg Pease he had his tobaccos tested for PG and small amounts were some times detected as they had been added by those who grow and process the tobaccos before they reach C&D, which I'm sure could also be the case with Boswell's blends. I would think that the concentrations would be quite low in such a case however.
> 
> I second Andrew's comments on Frog Morton. It's a good blend, but I would stay away if you think you might be PG sensitive. I had a tin that didn't dry out when it had been open for months.


I don't have much experience with Boswell's tobaccos, appart from Northwoods and Dan's Blend. In any case, Northwoods is one of the most humid blends I ever had, very similar to the Frog Mortons... IMHO the origin, or at least the ingredients, are the same. They're not true englsih blends, but somewhat to the aromatic side... all that black leaf is not latakia for sure, but sweet/smoky cased cavendish.

I supose Samuel Gawith's tobaccos' humidity is not PG'ed. They come overly moist, that's for sure, but dry out pretty fast once the tin is open.


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## Nachman (Oct 16, 2010)

Yes. That is water in the SG tobaccos. It does dry well. The only down side is that you are paying for 50g of tobacco and 10g of it is water. Some of their tobaccos are top notch so I keep paying for the H2O content.


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## Requiem (Dec 6, 2008)

bigmanfromou said:


> Just wondering if anyone would have any insight on this. Just a little background, I've had Chronic Sinusitis since I was a wee nipper. Before trying the pipe, I smoked cigars for two years. Retro-haled, nose exhaled, even accidentally inhaled. None of which ever caused a sinus attack. However, EVERY time I try to enjoy a bowl of baccy, I feel like someone has smashed me in the face with a bat. Each time, my sinuses become so inflamed that I can't breathe. It doesn't matter what type of tobacco, all the same result.
> 
> Is there something different in the preparation of pipe tobacco that could be causing this?
> 
> Thanks in advance.


I don't suffer from a sinusitis problem as much as you (just a very mild reaction) but perique and burley blends usually disturb my nose.
Stick to straight virginias and english blends from the best brands (Dunhill, Rattray, Samuel Gawith...) and you'll probably be ok.
Nevetheless, keep experimenting.


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## Requiem (Dec 6, 2008)

Nachman said:


> Yes. That is water in the SG tobaccos. It does dry well. The only down side is that you are paying for 50g of tobacco and 10g of it is water. Some of their tobaccos are top notch so I keep paying for the H2O content.


Isn't water precious? It will be, that's for sure... :spit:
Keep those tins closed, mate.


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